Pupils’ five mile sponsored walk raises over £300 for Hesleden Primary School

Hesleden Primary School pupils Isla Morris, nine, Rosa Dixon, nine, Peyton Brown, eight, and Alice Bell, eight, set off from Castle Eden to Crimdon Car Park in their own spare time to raise money for their school.

The girls completed the walk in just two hours and forty minutes, raising more than £325 – and celebrated with a big group hug.

Gemma Morris, who is Isla’s mum and is also on the school’s governing body, said: "They really enjoyed it. They had a big group hug when we finally got to the end when we got to the car park and saw everyone ready to pick us up.

"I’m really, really proud of them. There was no moaning, they just walked. They even skipped, and ran and climbed. They did brilliantly.”

The youngsters are currently working towards getting a charity badge in Brownies, which gave them the idea to help out their school.

Lynsey Johnson, who is deputy headteacher at Hesleden Primary School, has thanked Isla and the girls for their fundraising efforts.

Mrs Johnson, who also teaches Isla, said: "She used her own initiative. She’s organised it with mum. She’s opened a JustGiving page and really she has gone and done it.

"It’s brilliant. We are very proud of her.”

Mrs Johnson has added that the funds will be used to purchase new books at the school.

Hesleden Primary School celebrated its 90th anniversary in November last year.

Ex-pupils and the wider community were invited in for an open day with an exhibition of school photos from over the years and children were treated with a visit to Beamish Museum as well.

A number of former pupils and members of Blackhall Local History Group also visited the school in the lead up to the anniversary to educate today’s youngsters of the past with special workshops.

They included folk singer Bill Elliott and Stan Gray who went to the school between 1949 and 1959.

To donate to the girls’ appeal, visit JustGiving and search for Gemma Morris.

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